Extension step-ladder.



B. A. HANDY.

EXTENSION STEP LADDER.

APPLICATION Mum MAB.4.1912,

Patented Oct. 8. 1912.

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B A. HANDY.

EXTENSION STEP LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1012.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

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ZUZLZZesse s Q- v an UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BURT A. HANDY, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO FOUR IN ONE MANUFACTURING CO., A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

EXTENSION STEP-LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

Application filed March 4, 1912. Serial No. 681,487.

South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Extension Step- Ladders,of which the following is aspecifi cation.

One of the objects of my invention resides in the provision of anextension step ladder made up of two sections, each of which constitutesa complete step ladder in itself when separated.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of twoseparate and distinct step ladders, so arranged and constructed thatthey may be jointly used to provide an extension ladder.

A still further object resides in the provision of a step laddercomprising two sections, so arranged and constructed that the side barsof one section forming a complete ladder by itself, may be guided andsupported for extension purposes by the side bars of the remainingsection, the step members of which are hingedly mounted, so as to permittheir being swung into or out of the path of the adjoining side bars ofthe former section, and form a support for the extension section to restupon, thus providing a simple, practicable and easily adjusted extensionladder, which may be supported in its various extended positions withoutthe use of supporting and locking members other than the step members ofthe supporting section.

With the above and other objects in View, the invent-ion consists ofcertain novel features of construction, arrangements and cooperation ofparts. as hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in theclaims, it being understood that the details of construction may bevaried within the purview of the claims without departing from orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1is a side elevation showing the ladder partially extended in dottedlines. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a fragmentarycross-sectional view showing the manner of mounting the swinging stepmembers. Fig.

4 is a vertical section taken through the center of the ladder. Fig. 5is a front elevation showing the ladder in a partially extendedposition, and Fig. 6 is afragmentary crosssectional view showing therelative position of the side bars of the two ladder sections.

The main, or supporting, ladder section consists of two side bars 1,which are connected at their upper ends by a stay, or cross rod 2, andat their lower ends by a step member '3, permanently secured to the sidebars in any suitable manner, said stay rod and step members rigidly holdthe side bars in their proper spaced relation. I-Iingedly connected atits upper ends with the said side bars by means of a metal yoke 4, is aprop 5, the ends of which are disposed betweenthe spaced sides of theyoke and a pivot pin 6 passed through, so that the prop may be swungaway from or folded against the side bars, all in the manner and for thepurpose well understood in the art. Disposed in the proper spacedrelation and hingedly mounted on the side bars 1, are swinging stepmembers 7, brackets 8 connected by cross rods 9, which pass through theeyes of hinge irons 10 secured to the step members, hingedly supportingthe latter. The swinging step members are adapted to be swung upwardlyand between the side bars 1, resting upon the upper ends of the spacedcleat members 11, disposed longitudinally of and upon the inner oppositesides of the side bars. WVhen swung out of position the step members 7are in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, leaving the space betweenthe side bars with the exception of the lower step member 3 open andunobstructed for the purpose presently explained. The section thus fardescribed is a complete step ladder in itself and the step membersthereof are swung into position between its side bars.

Referring now to the extensible ladder section, the same is of the usualstep ladder construction, all of the step members 12 thereof beingpermanently secured to its side bars 13. These side bars are providedwith a groove 14 on their outer side and extending the entire lengththereof, and which grooves are adapted to receive the cleats 11 on theinner sides of the adjoining outer side bars 1 of the main laddersection, which cleats serve both as a. support and a guide for theextensible- 1 section, asthe same is raised or lowered, thus forming astrong support for the ladder. The cleats 11 are arranged in endwisespaced relation so as to permit the swinging step members 7 to be swunginto position, said step members resting upon the upper ends of saidcleat members when in position for use. The prop 15 of the extensiblesection is adapted to support the ladder when removed from the mainsection and used separately, and may be folded against the prop 5 of themain ladder section and held in place in any suitable manner.

\Vhen the ladder is unextended the lower ends of the side bars 13 of theextensible section rest upon the fixed step member 3 of the mainsection, all of the remaining step members of the main section beingswung out of the way of the extendible section, which may be freelyshifted up or down, the cleats and grooves of the respective side barsof the two sections slidably supporting the extensible section. If it isdesired to extend the ladder, for illustration, to the extent of thedistance of two steps, the extensible section is raised to that extent,and the requisite number of swinging step members extended, and, thetwo-sections of Which-may be disconnected entirely from each other toprovide two ladders for separate use.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is 1. An extensionladder comprising a base and an extensible section, a slidableconnection between the sections consisting of interengaging cleats andgrooves on the outer and inner sides respectively of the side bars ofsaid sections, and swinging step members :mounted on the main section,said cleats being spaced endwise to permit said step members to be swungbetween the side bars of said section and to rest on the upper endsthereof for the support of the same.

2. An extension ladder comprising two complete ladder sections, the sidebars of the extensible section having longitudinal grooves formed intheir outer sides, swinging step members mounted on the main sec- .tionand adapted to be swung between its side bars, the latter having cleatson their inner sides and spaced endwise to permit said step members toswing between the bars and rest on the upper ends thereof, said cleatsengaging the grooves in the extensible f section to slidably support thelatter.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BURT A. HANDY.

Witnesses:

D. H. TURNBULL, E. W. FONTBAUER.

-Oopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

